Electrical connector



AP 5, 1949 H. H. BURTT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Hay 22, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet l l l1/111111111111111111111.vll'

T E N Tk, ww n u M N mv H E inl.. v0 Fhlt. mn m M uw n H April 5, 1949.H. H. BURTT 2,466,370

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed lay 22, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 31 75 z5 5l76rz\ 56 21 6058 62l f4. 56 65 74 56 6 s1 A u if i 101 68 6 7*/ r 55 102f 52 5l 53 f u 55 75 ,I 5i 6I 59 105 5 82 3l 5l 87 INVENTOR 96 T4 h 92 9Homme H.BURTT Y BY 0%- i L ATToRNE/SMOA Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITEDSTATES "PA'rlzN'r OFFICEv 2,466,370 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Horatio H.Bnrtt, Hartsdale, N. Y. Application -May 22, 1946, Serial No. 671,448 3Claims. (Cl. 173-328) This invention relates to electrical disconnectconnectors.

Heretofore, great diiilculty has been encountered in freeing the coupledparts of multiple pin and socket type connectors from one another attimes when the parts are being disconnected. Such pin and socket contactconnectors cling or freeze and usually become bent or destroyed beforethe connector parts are finally separated from one, another. Without theapplication of a great'deal of force, it has been practically impossibleto separate the connector parts.

It is accordingly among the objects oi' the present invention to providea multiple pin and socket contact connector wherein the pin and socketcontacts will be instantly separated fromone another vwhen the couplingbody parts retaining them are released from one another and whereby theprying and. pulling action usually required in separating prior multiplepin and socket contact connectors will be banished.

It is another object oi' the invention to provide a connector embodyingpin and socket type contacts in which the coupling parts may undercertain installations, as well as the contacts be readily and positivelyfreed from one another when the. parts are uncoupled or released, andwherein the separation of the parts is easy and 2 gether and adaptedwhen the coupling parts are released to individually force or vfree thesocket contacts of the pin contacts whereby the coupling or connectorparts are quickly, readily and posil. tively freed from one anotherthereby eliminating socket devices are carried by the connector whichinstantaneous and done without damage to the contacts and without theapplication of physical force.

It is another object of the invention to provide a quick-disconnectconnector or coupling in which each individual pin contact of a multiplecontact connector will be respectively provided with a device forseparating the engaged contacts independently of the coupling parts thatcontain the contacts, wherein said separating device for each of thecontacts is carried on the contact itself whereby to provide aselfcontained assembly adapted for easy union with the connector part.

It is another object of the invention to provide a quick disconnectconnector which is of monoblock construction.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a connector inwhich vpolarired pin and socket devices may serve to center and alignthe connector parts as they .are brought together.

According to the present invention. there has been provided aquick-disconnect connector bearing pin and socket contacts in whichthere is carried by each of the pin contacts a combination spring andejecting sleeve adaptedto be depressed by the socket contact as the twocoupling parts with the contacts are brought toare so arranged as toprevent engagement of the body parts should they be reversed and tocenter the body parts when in-the right order for proper alignment ofthe contacts at the time their engagement is made.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other. objects ashereinafter will appear, my invention consists in the elements and theirrelation one to the other, as hereinafter particularly described andsought to be defined in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings which show ,a preferred embodiment of myinvention. and in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view partly in crosssection, of a rack carrying one connector part and on which there issupported an electrical or radio device bearing the other connector partand adapted to be slid into the rack so that its connector part iscoupled to the connector part of the rack, and of means for obtainingthe electrlcal unionof the parts against the action of the severalcontact springs within the connector Fig. 2 is an enlarged top viewlooking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of Fig. 1, upon the connectorand with portions of the connector parts removed vto show in full thecentering members and two pairs of contacts,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and crosssectional view of thecentering members at one end of the connector and of the contacts andwith the connector parts slightly detached from one another,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view the contact face of the connector thesocket contacts,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view looking upon the contact face of theconnector part containing the pin-contacts.

looking upon part containing Referring now to Fig. 1, II is a rackhaving front and rear vertical frame pieces I2 and I3 connected togetherby a horizontally-extending shelf I4. This shelf |4 carries a casing orshield I5 adapted to house an electrical or radio unit I6 having avertlcally-extending handle I1 on its front face and adapted to bethrusted into or removed from the casing I5 by a push or a pullingoperation upon the handle. In order that the movement of the unit I 8will be maintained true upon its insertion and removal from the casingI5, there are provided top and'bottom guides I8 and I9 extending fromthe front of the casing I5 toward the rear thereof. These guides are ofangular formation and the top guide I9 serves to prevent upward movementof the unit during its movement into and out of the casing I5 as well aspreventing the lateral movement thereof.

The casing I5 has attached to it a coupling part 2I from which contactterminals 22 extend rearwardly for the attachment thereto of wiresbrought toward the same from the rear of the rack. The connector part 2|has a flange 23 by which it is fastened to the casing I5. The ange abutsthe rear face of the casing I5 and is retained thereagainst by awasher-like piece 24 having portions 25 engaging the rearward face ofthe flange 23 and fastened to the casing I5 by screw bolts 26 and nuts21 retained in locked position against the frame piece 24 by lockwashers 28.

Cooperating with the connector part 2| is a connector part 3| fastenedto a sub-frame 32 within the radio unit IB and extending through anopening 33 in a rear wall 34 of the radio unit I6. The part 3| alsoextends through an opening 35 in the sub-frame and has a flange 36 bywhich it is fastened to the front face of the sub-frame 32 by awasher-like piece 31 and fastening bolts 38 and nuts 39. Contactterminals 4I extend forwardly from the connector part 3| for connectionwith wires 42 leading to devices within the radio unit.

It will be apparent from the description just now made that theconnector parts are aligned with one anotherfor engagement and that theengagement is accordingly effected when the radio set is inserted intothe casing I5 and forced home so that the coupling parts are completelycoupled and abut one another.

In order that the radio set may be retained in its coupled or insertedposition there is provided adjacent the lower end of the handle I1, alug 43 adapted to be engaged by a locking nut 44 threaded upon avertlcally-swingable bolt 45 pivoted at 46 to the forward end of theshelf I4. The projection 43 is provided with a forwardly bent portion 41adapted to enter a recess 48 in the engaging face of the locking nut 44.With the locking nut 44 first screwed toward the rear of the bolt, thebolt 45 may be swung to a horizontal position to align the nut recess 48with the portion 41. The nut 44 is then tightened upon the projection 41so as to iinally lock the radio set I8 in its slid-in position Withinthe casing I5.

Referring now to Figs. 2,3, 4 and 5, there is shown the details of theconnector embodying the features of the present invention.. Theconnector parts 2| and 3| are of monoblock construction and formed by amolding operation in which openings for containing the contacts and thecentering pins are provided.

The part 2| is molded to contain eighteen pin contact assembliesindicated generally at 5 I This opening is molded in two diameters, onefor effecting an opening 52 of large diameter extending for the greaterdistance through the material and adapted to contain the operable partsof the assembly 5I, and the other a small opening 53 adjacent theterminal face of the coupling part to provide a shoulder 54 by which thecontact assembly can be locked against axial displacement when securedon its terminal end by a spring clip 55. The smaller opening 53 may bepreferably provided with a at portion matching the fiat portion on thepin assembly 5I to prevent the turning of assembly in the opening 53.

At opposite sides of the part 2| there are provided relatively largediameter openings 56 and 51 for retaining long centering members 58 and59, respectively. These openings are similarly provided with shoulders60, GI against which the members 58 and 59 are locked by a nut 62 as itis tightened upon a threaded shank portion 63. Relatively short openings56', 51 at the terminal face of the part serve respectively to house thenuts 62. Shoulders S0 and 6| may also be provided with a flat portion toprevent the pins from turning.

It will be noted that the centering member 58 at one side is of thesocket type whereas the member 59 at the opposite side of the couplingis of the pin type. This is so that the coupling parts can be fittedtogether in only one way. By such an arrangement the coupling partcannot be swung end for end and fitted in an opposite manner. It will beapparent to do so that with the terminal connections already made theywould not match or correspond with the terminals of the other part andserious harm right result.

The coupling part 3| is thinner than the coupling part 2|. This is sobecause socket contacts 54 thereof do not need to carry parts movablerelative to it as in the case of the pin assembly 5|, Part 3| has anopening with large and small diameter portions and 66 for each socketcontact 54. The socket contact may also have a fiat portion cooperatingwith a dat area in the small diameter portion 66 so as to preventturning. With a shoulder 51 of socket contact 64 in place in the openingand fastened by a spring clip G8,

the socket contact 54 will be held against axial displacement therein.

The part 3| has openings with large and small diameter portions 1I, 12and 13 at opposite sides of the part to contain centering members 14 and15 adapted to respectively cooperate with the centering members 58 and59 of the coupling part 2|. Retaining nuts 16 are housed within theshort large diameter portions 12 adjacent the terminal face of the part3|. .The members 14, 15 may likewise have fiat portions to cooperatewith a corresponding ilat portion along the small diameter portion 13 toprevent turning of the centering member. As the parts are locatedadjacent one another to be connected, the tapered points of thecentering members will draw the parts and their contacts into properalignment preparatory to the making of their actual engagement.Polarizing lead wires may be connected to these centering members.

Referrlng now particularly to Fig. 3 it will be seen that there isprovided within the contact face of the connector part 3| a countersunksurface 11 within each of the openings 65. 'I'his countersunk surface 11is not of great length but is suiilcient to receive a sleeve projection18 on the contacting face of the coupling part 2| and surrounding thepin contact assembly 5|. This increases the length of possible arcingpaths between pairs of connected contacts.

'I'hepincontactassemblyilincludesashanklhavingacontactsurfaceandtheterminal portion 22 at opposite endsthereof. Adjacent the shoulder 54 is a flange 0l having thediameterofthelargeopeningandheldint againstthe shoulderSIbythespringclip 55 bearingasainsttheterminaifaceofparttlandtted inareducedportionoftheshankespecially provided for the purpose. The terminal portion 22is hollowed and receives a wire end Il which may be retained therein bysoldering. A portion 8l between the flange Il and the reduced portion 05hlls the reduced opening 53. The contact surface 82 of theshank 0| isrounded at its tip tstomakegoodstartingentwiththe socket contact il.

Upon the shank Il and slidable along a portion 89 between the flange Nand a reduced por- ,tion 9| bearing a spring clip 92. is an ejectorsleeve or member 93 having a bearing portion 94 and an electing portion$5 adapted to extend over the contact surface 82 when the ejector sleeve93 is against the clip $2 whereby to positively force or eh'ect thesocket contact il of the coupling part 3| from and free of a tip Il ofthe contact surface 82. The ejector sleeve 33 is backed up by an ejectorspring 36 surrounding the portion 88 within the opening S2 and reactingbetween the flange 8l and the portion S5 of the sleeve 93. The portion9| of the ejector sleeve 93 serves as a pilot for one end of the springS6.

It should be apparent that the assembly 5|, not including the clip 55.may be made up before the assembly is htted into the. openings 52 and 53of the part 2|. The spring 3i and sleeve 93 is hxed in place on theshank 0| and retained by the spring clip 32 while the parts thereof arefree of the openings 52, 53. It will thus be Seen that the assemblies 5|are self-contained units 'with the Contact shank itself providing theportion on which its ejector sleeve is guided and supported. The sleeve93 is not dependent upon the wall of the opening 52 for guiding itsmovement axially of the pin contact.

The socket contact il has a. slitted hallowed portion |0| with a hangedhead end |02. Ai; the base and inner end of the hollowed portion i5 is aflange |03 adapted to rest against the shoulder Gl as the socket il issecured in place by the locating of the spring clip 68 over a reducedportion |05 to cooperate with the terminal face of the coupling part 3|.A portion I IS lies within and fills the reduced opening Si and ishattened to cooperate with hat portions of the opening to preventturning. A hollowed terminal portion 4| is provided at the end of thesocket contact tl for receiving the lead wire I2.

It will thus be seen from the description which has already been madethat the pin assembly 5| and the socket contact il are rigidly retainedagainst both axially and rotational displacement within their respectiveopenings.

It will be noted that the hollow or pin receiving portion |0I and thehanged head |02 of the socket contact 64 protrudes or projects to aconsiderable distance from the contact face of the coupling part 3|. Asthe parts 2| and 3| containing their respective centering and contactelements are brought together as when the radio set IS is thrusted intoits slid-in position within the casing l5 of the rack Il. the hangedhead |02 of the socket contact 64 shuts the portion 05 of the ejectorsleeve 93 on the male contact and forces it inwardly against the actionof the ejector spring 9B as engagement is mad'e by the hollow portion|0| of the socket 64 with the contact surface 02 of the pin assembly.

The connector parts will likely be kept in place by the friction of theradio set along its sliding surfaces but to be certain of theirengagement the swingable bolt 45 is brought up and the nut 44 screwedinto place on the projection 4l. Once the set is released and withslight movement of the set to overcome friction, the contacts willseparate themselves. With cable mountings the force of the contactsprings may be sufficient to bodily move the surrounding parts from oneanother upon their locking means being released. As long as this nut isretained in its locking or tightened up position the ejector springs 96will remain compressed and the contact of the socket 6I with the contactsurface 82 is sustained. The radio set I6 will thus operate in itsnormal fashion.

It will now be apparent that the radio set i8 can be readily freed ofthe casing |5 when the locking nui;` 44 is released thereby making itunnecessary that a diflicult and perhaps harmful pull be made of theradio set to break the coupling parts or disconnect the contacts. Theextra force required to separate conventional pin and socket contactconnectors has been elimi- While the present description has been madewith reference to a radio set connector. it will be understood that theinvention may be equally embodied in the ordinary free cable connectorsof the socket and pin type having some means for retaining the parts incoupled relationship.

While I have shown my invention in the preferred form, it will beobvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structuredisclosed Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-separable electrical disconnect connector comprising two partsadapted to be coupled together, means for retaining the parts in coupledrelations, a socket contact carried by one of the parts, and aself-contained pin contact structure assembled as a unit upon the othercon nector part for alignment with the socket contact as the parts arecoupled together, said pin contact unit comprising a pin contact havingan axially-extending contact surface and spring-biased electing meanscarried upon the pin Contact and slidable over substantially the fullextent of the pin contact surface, said spring-biased ejecting meansoperating between limits upon the pin contact and adapted tosubstantially bodily disconnect the socket contact from the pin contactand to uncouple the parts when parts are released from the retainingmeans.

2. A self-separable disconnect connector comprising two intertting bodyparts of insulating material, axially-aligned counterbored openingsprovided in each of the parts, normally contracted, yieidable socketcontacts extending respectively through the openings of one of the partsand having a hollow contacting portion protruding from the body part, apin Contact assembly disposed in each of the openings of the other part,each pin contact assembly including a pin contact' surface withia shankhaving a. hanged portion adapted to abut the shoulder provided by thecounterbored opening and serving to prevent axial movement oi the shankin one direction through the opening, a spring clip on the shank andcooperating with the body part for preventlng axial movement of theshank through the opening in the opposite direction, said pin contacthaving an axially-extending contacting sur.. face adapted to be engagedby the socket contact as the parts are brought together, an ejectorsleeve sutiable upon the shank and over substantially the full extent ofthe axially-extending contact surface and adapted to abut the socketcontact, stop meanson the shank for limiting further outward movement ofthe sleeve over the pin contacting surface as when the socket member hasbeen made free of the contacting surface, a strong spring .actingbetween the sleeve and the ilange on the shank to cause the sleeve tofree the socket contact of the pin contact surface at times when it isdesired that the parts be diSCOnnected, and both the socket contact andthe pin contact shank being respectively provided with terminal portionsfor the attachment of a wire thereto.

3. A self-separable electrical disconnect connector comprising two partsadapted to be coupled together, means for retaining the parts in coupledrelation, a socket contact carried by one of the parts, a self-containedpin contact assembly carried as a. unit upon the other connector partfor alignment with the socket contact as the parts are coupled together,said pin contact assembly comprising a pin contact member having a shankwith a flange thereon, said other connector part having an opening forreceiving the pin contact' assembly with a shoulder therein,

'said flange engaging with said shoulder of the other connector part,said shank having a groove rearwardly of the ange, a washerseated insaid .groovetosecuretheshankagainstaxialdisplaceof the pin member.

HORATIO H. BUR'IT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Meschenmoser Oct. 19, 1915 French Mar.31, 1925 Y Cannon May '1, 1935 Ley et al. Sept. 17, 1935 Schroeder Feb.2o, 1945 Still et al. Jan. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Cmmtry Date GreatBritain July 12, 1934 Germany Oct. 19, 1927 Germany Oct. 25, 1935 NumberNumber

